The first great British apocalypse movie

Rating: 8/10 (26 October 2002)

28 Days Later is the best British horror movie to be released in years, perhaps the best since The Wicker Man. The scenes of an empty London are truly eerie, and the stark, bleak visuals make it an urban horror to remember. The infecteds (NOT zombies) are not your typical George Romero monsters, i.e. slow and not much of a threat. They are quick, savage and angry. The use of handheld cameras and point of view put you in the centre of the action, adding to the terror.
The film is split in two halves thematically and narratively. The two lead actors a terrific, but in the first half of the film Brendan Gleeson steals the show as the ideal father figure and in part 2 Christopher Eccleston is equally effective as the ruthless army man. The film has many fantastic shots, (empty London, Manchester ablaze), but there is a ten minute almost silent section of the film in which is pure cinematic poetry. Cillian Murphy's slient, psychotic rage is captured by Boyle perfectly. When he exacts his revenge on his captors the editing, camerawork and soundtrack make it a scene to remember.
This film may not set the box office alight or live as long as Evil Dead or The Trilogy of the Dead, but it is better than most teen slasher flicks of the 90's and highly entertaining. It has some humorous moments too, and a shot of an entirely naked man for the ladies. Go see it!